- July 2023
After a three-year hiatus, the Footlights Standup Showcase is back! Taken to London for the first time, this year's graduating cohort of standup comics and a guest compère take the stage at the OSO Arts Centre.
Don't miss your chance to see the show from the group that launched many of the greatest names in comedy, including Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Sandi Toksvig, David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Sue Perkins, and Richard Ayoade.
- June 2023
‘The most renowned sketch troupe of them all’ (The Independent) embark on their annual international tour with a brand-new show, travelling to London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, New York, and more! You’d be silly to miss it.
- June 2023
- February 2023
Spring Revue is the Footlights' annual showcase featuring its graduating members performing a mix of newly-written material and the best of their previous sketches.
- February 2023
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,
Thank you for taking the time to apply for this role that you so clearly wanted. Unfortunately, this time we are not going to be able to..."
Experiencing a bit of dejavu? Reluctant recognition?
Want to cry?
Can we interest you in laughing instead?
More specifically- want to laugh for a full hour, at the ADC Theatre, Park Street, Cambridge, CB5 8AS?
For here it is- a sketch show about REJECTION!
What you have lost in your hopes, dreams, wants, desires, potential lovers, life-long aspirations and ambitions, you will GAIN in giggles!
Yes, a completely reasonable trade off...
STOP feeling ‘Sorry sorry sorry very sorry’ for yourself and come and see ‘Sorry sorry sorry very Sorry’ for yourself!
- November 2022
In the midst of woeful underfunding and ridicule from local private school St Perfectton’s Prep, join the students and teachers of Grove Park Secondary as a mysterious pirate offers them the geography field trip of a lifetime. Will they find Billy Bones’ lost treasure? Will Jemima Hawkins fulfil her dreams of adventure and find the love of her classmate Lily? And will by-the-books Geography teacher Mr Livesey learn that there is more to life than longshore drift and oxbow lakes?
Geography Trips have never been more thrilling than in ‘Treasure Island!’, a story of swashbuckling, sea-shanty singing and self-discovery.
- October 2022
- October 2022
- June 2022
All aboard The Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show 2022: Are We There Yet?
Buckle up as we hit the road for a tour of life itself, visiting more sketch-shaped destinations than a travel agent could dream of. Join five curious tourists for a holiday filled with laughs, quirky characters, and sand in uncomfortable places.
‘The most renowned sketch troupe of them all’ (The Independent) embark on their annual international tour with a brand-new show, travelling to London, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, New York and more! You’d be silly to miss it.
- May 2022
Bunker is a brand new comedy by Jonathan Neary and winner of the Footlights Harry Porter Prize, being staged as an ADC late show from Wednesday 18th May.
'While hosting a party to usher in the final New Year before the end of the world, Vincent and Julie are posed with an uncomfortable and inconvenient question: Which of their guests do they want to take the third space in their underground bunker? Weighing factors of ethics, merit, and general personability, Vincent and Julie spend the evening attempting to navigate the tricky ethical questions and social mores that come with the imminent apocalypse. As tensions rise and new information is revealed, Vincent and Julie discover that their guests have opinions of their own on the matter.'
- May 2022
The young white looking guy who swears he's an Arab really does a funny show about being an Arab but not really.
semi-finalist- chortle 2019
quarter-finalist - Leicester square new comedian 2022
quarter-finalist - the Musical comedy awards 2022
quarter finalist- Sketch off 2022
This performance is recommended for audiences aged 15+
- March 2022
Spring Revue is one of the biggest events in the Cambridge comedy calendar, showcasing the talents of comedians within the current Footlights membership. And this year, the Footlights want to bring you the most exciting and audacious sketch show Cambridge has ever seen. As the creative culmination of the 2021-22 Footlights membership, expect a show bursting at the seams with wicked wit, unforgettable characters, and even non-complimentary ice cream at the interval.
- February 2022
Marx, Jesus and Mufasa walk into a bar… Who wouldn’t wanna know what happens next!
In Heaven and Hell, we ask the red-hot pokery questions which the establishment doesn't want you to think about… What happens when Heaven gets bought out by Facebook? Should Judge Rinder win Hell’s employee of the month? And for Christsake (get it?), does Batman need to go on a mindfulness course?
We've risked our spiritual salvation to make you heathens giggle, so please come and make our punishment worth it. You’ll be bellyaching all through this rip-roaring hour of sketch banter. Heaven and Hell is transsubstantially the spiciest thing since Beelzebub’s butter chicken special. Be there or burn in Hell.
- November–December 2021
Welcome to Rapunzel! In a land where art has been banned and all the Dames have been banished, can this kingdom be brought back to life?
In a dastardly plan to keep them away from his crown, the evil King sends his nephew and niece, Prince Victor and Princess Stella, on a quest to save Rapunzel from her dragon-guarded tower in the hopes that they perish. Along the way they instead encounter adventure, hilarity, and friendship. Join Victor and Stella on their way to save Rapunzel and, ultimately, the entire kingdom.
Rapunzel brings live pantomimes back with a queer and colourful bang. A celebration of individuality and self-love, Rapunzel is not to be missed.
- October 2021
Salmonella is the Footlights Harry Porter Prize Play Winner for 2020, judged by comedian and ex-Footlight, Phil Wang.
Salmonella follows the young adult life of best friends Sam and Ella as they navigate early adulthood and all the laughter and tears that come with it! Meanwhile, 60 years on, in the old people's home, Sam and Ella reminisce on their youth together and consider...how much has really changed?
The play takes us through the ups and downs of early adulthood, charting the downright ridiculous scenarios that the two get into in their new flat together.
- October 2021
- October 2021
- June 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
🍆🍒🥦Growing Pains is BACK! We actually never left...but now we have a performance slot! And this time, we're taking over THE BIG SCREEN (well...most likely your laptop screen...but STILL!)🍆🍒🥦
Petits Filous, puberty, podcasts: the growing gets tough. Growing Pains will explore the freaky foibles of growth and change: intergenerational mishaps, kids who want to be adults, adults who want to be kids and how much has YOUR sourdough starter grown?
This array of sketches will take you through the garden centre of life where we are forced to confront both the familiar and the fantastical: Whether it's an over-woke grandparent educating their dearest alt-right grandkids, an anarchist amoeba resisting evolution, or a medieval baron going on a date with an Instagram influencer...
Growing Pains looks at the growth of me, you, your nan, the world, the stock markets and maybe even your two front teeth? Growing, growing, gone!
- March 2021
Featuring a lineup of all-BIPOC comedians, Footlights brings you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand-up in an hour of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly, rude and spiky, wordy and nerdy, or a little surreal; whatever the style, it's always 'uproariously funny' (Varsity).
- March 2021
Sleeping Beauty is rudely awoken from her slumber. Marry Prince Charming?! Thanks but no thanks - a better adventure is calling.
Join our hero as you've never seen her before as she enters the world of work under evil bosses, Jake and Will Grimm, and on her very first shift must undertake a dangerous mission to find an escaped Panto Horse and save her colleagues' jobs. She sets off journeying through a series of absurd pantomimes in pursuit of the horse, only to discover that everything is not as it seems...
Sleeping Beauty and her friends must work together, find the horse and ship the baddies off - next day delivery.
- March 2021
After the success of the inaugural Disability smoker, we're excited to bring you another rib-bursting night of virtual comedy from self-identifying disabled students and students dealing with mental health.
- February 2021
- February 2021
Catch our live-stream of some of the finest comedy Cambridge has to offer and get those giggles in whilst you still can! The Cambridge Footlights bring you an hour of brilliant comedy, ranging from sketch, to stand-up, comedy song, monologues, or maybe dance. Whatever the style, it's always 'uproariously funny' (Varsity).
- February 2021
Lockdown hit for the third time and Footlights Presents: Growing Pains has had to be postponed :(
But you know what they say: when the fun stops...KEEP! THE! COMEDY! GOING!
While we try and bring you Growing Pains in whatever form we can, the cast and crew have focused their efforts on generating some groovy original sketch material! And this time, they've hit the airwaves...
Tune in at 9pm for half an hour of zany radio fun to get you through the lockdown blues.
- February 2021
The Cambridge Footlights bring you ANOTHER hilarious hour of comedy from our Freshers - Freshers by age, by nature, by the fact that THIS is their first foray into the world of Cambridge comedy! Get ready to laugh and cry (because you're laughing so much) at these comedy 'virgins'' stand-up, sketch, song and character comedy - all from the comfort of your very own live-stream!
- December 2020
Introducing The Cambridge Footlights Christmas Smoker for some of Cambridge's most talented student comedians!
- December 2020
Featuring a lineup of all-BIPOC comedians, Footlights brings you the funniest songs, sketches, monologues and stand-up in an hour of non-stop, back-to-back fun-filled hilarity. The material is always original and always varied. It can be soft and silly, rude and spiky, wordy and nerdy, or a little surreal; whatever the style, it's always 'uproariously funny' (Varsity).
- November 2020
OUR LAST SMOKER OF THE TERM!! WHAT?! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! Catch our live-stream of some of the finest comedy Cambridge has to offer and get those giggles in whilst you still can! The Cambridge Footlights bring you an hour of brilliant comedy, ranging from sketch, to stand-up, comedy song, monologues, or maybe dance. Whatever the style, it's always 'uproariously funny' (Varsity).
- November 2020
The Cambridge Footlights bring you ANOTHER hilarious hour of comedy from our Freshers - Freshers by age, by nature, by the fact that THIS is their first foray into the world of Cambridge comedy! Get ready to laugh and cry (because you're laughing so much) at these comedy 'virgins'' stand-up, sketch, song and character comedy - all from the comfort of your very own live-stream!
- November 2020
The Cambridge Footlights bring you a hilarious hour of comedy from our incoming Freshers - Freshers by age, by nature, by the fact that THIS is their first foray into the world of Cambridge comedy! Get ready to laugh and cry (because you're laughing so much) at these comedy 'virgins'' stand-up, sketch, song and character comedy - all from the comfort of your very own live-stream!
- October 2020
The Cambridge Footlights extend a warm welcome BACK TO SCHOOL with our first Smoker of the term and the year ! Expect the same hilarious hour of sketch, stand-up, songs and character comedy with faces new and old - this time, live-streamed to your very own bed! Get that boxed wine and popcorn out and prepare to laugh and giggle and roar at some of the finest comedy Cambridge has to offer!
- June 2020
Come and have a laugh and a giggle and a drink at an hour of hilarious character, sketch, song and stand up comedy from some of Cambridge's best comedians. It's the same hilarious Smoker you all know and love, but this time it's from the comfort of your own home!
- June–October 2020
‘The most renowned sketch troupe of them all’ (The Independent) embark on another exceptional world tour, performing to over twenty thousand people across two continents.
Last year's tour travelled to London, Edinburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Cambridge, and many more.
Don’t miss your chance to see the latest on offer from the group that launched many of the greatest names in British comedy, including Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, John Oliver, David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Richard Ayoade, Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and John Cleese.
- May 2020
Come and have a laugh and a giggle and a drink at an hour of hilarious character, sketch, song and stand up comedy from some of Cambridge's best comedians. It's the same hilarious Smoker you all know and love, but this time it's from the comfort of your own home!
